Child&#39;s toy



April 17, 1928. 1,666,378

J. E. HARNER CHILD'S TOY 2 Sheets-Sheet ,1

Filed Feb. 9. 1927 WWW April 17, 1928;

1,666,378 J. E. HARNER CHILD S TOY Filed Feb. 9. 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 OE 10 F i 12 Patented Apr. 17, 1928.

UNITED S'IATl-LS JOHN ELBRIDGE HARNER, or DODGE CITY, KANSAS.

. .onxLns TOY.

Application filed February 9, 1927.

The invention relates to wheeled toys for children and provides anarticle which may be propelled by the weight of the child and theswaying of the bod to shift the weight, the swaying of the b0 y beingrhythmical and so timed as to develop intermittent impulses forpropelling the device. f

The invention contemplates a drive wheel which is eccentrically mountedand caused to rotate under the weight of the rider and a shifting of theweight by a to and fro swaying movement of the body.

The invention provides a toy representative of a flying machine andmounted upon wheels, the rider sitting astraddle of the toy and swayingthe body in substantially the same manner as when mounted upon a hobbyhorse.

While the drawings illustrate a preferred embodiment of the-invention,it is to be understood that in adapting the means to meet specific needsand requirements, the design may be varied and such other changes in theminor details of construction maybe resorted to within the scope of theinvention as claimed, without departing from the spirit thereof. 7

For a full understanding of the invention and the merits thereof,reference is to be had to the following description and the drawingshereto attached, in which,-

Figure 1 is a side view of a toy embodying the invention.

Figure 2 is a top plan view thereof.

Figure 3 is a vertical, central, longitudinal sectional view of thedrawing.

Figure 4 is a vertical, transverse sectional view on the line 4:-4 ofFigure 3, looking towards the front, as designated by the arrows.

Figure 5 is a detail view showing the manner of attaching a groovedpulley to its stem and the flexible steering element to the pulley.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the followingdescription and designated in the several views of the drawings by likereference characters.

The body of the toy has the general outline of a flying machine of themonoplane type, and is equipped with centrally disposed wheels 1, afront wheel 2 and a rear wheel 3. The rear portion of the body 4 tapersrearwardly and is provided with a rudder 5 and side wings 6. A propeller7 is located at the front of the body 4 and side Serial No. 166,974.

wings 8 project laterally from oppositesides of the body adjacent thefront. These wings "8 provide rests for the feet of the rider. A

seat 9 is located at the top of the body midway between the ends thereofand is in line with the axis of the wheels 1, thereby admit the body 4.Thewheels 1 are intended, primarily, to carry the load. An axle 10receives the wheels 1 and is secured to the body 4 in any determinateway and projects laterally therefrom a uniform distance, whereby tospacethe ,wheels 1 so as to support the toy in upright position. The body ofthe toy comprises spaced side pieces and an intermediate filler, theseveral parts being constructed in any determinate way. The rear wheel 3is mounted in a. frame 11 having a stem 12 which is mounted in the bodyto turn freely and receive a limited vertical movement. An open helicalspr ng 13 is mounted upon the stein 12 between the frame 11 and body4and operates as a buffer. A grooved pulleyl i is fast to the stem 12 andreceives a flexible element 15 which ad mits of steering. A post 16vertically mounted in the front portion of the body 4 and its stemreceives a grooved pulley 17 which is fast thereto, said pulleyreceiving the flexible element 15. A handle bar 18 is applied to theupper end of the post 16. The grooved pulleys applied to the stems ofthe frame 11 and post 16 serve as means to retain such parts in place.The flexible element 15 preferably consists of an endless wire which iscrossed intermediate the front and rear grooved pulleys and this elementis made fast to the respective grooved pulleys by means of a screw 19which likewise enters the stem upon which the pulley is mounted andsecures said pulley thereto.

The front wheel 2 constitutes the driver and its axle 20 is eccentric tothe circumference of the wheel. and in consequence peripheral portionsof the wheel are disposed at different distances from the center or axisof the wheel. Advantage is taken of this arrangement to utilize theweight of the childor other occupant of the vehicle as means forpropelling the toy. Moreover, by having the wheel 2 eccentricallymounted the toy receives a propelling movement as the weight of therider is shifted by a swaying of the body to and fro. This swaying ofthe body must be timed to the position of the wheel 2 and when the majoraxis of the wheel 2 is disposed forwardly of the axle 20, a forwardshifting of the weight results in a downward movement of the front endof the body 4 of the toy, and a rotation of the wheel 2 tosimultaneously advance the toy, and while the wheel 2 is regaining anoperative position the toy moves forwardly under the impulse impartedthereto and the rider at the same time imparts a rearward swayingmovement to the body. After a little practice the swaying of the bodybe- 1 forward, a weight 21- is applied thereto.

This is effected by boring a hole through the wheel and plugging it withlead which may be applied thereto in a molten state, or in any preferredway.

v The rudder 5 is preferably applied to the upper end of the steeringpost or stem 12, so as to move therewith and add to the interest of thetoy. The wings 8 constitute parts of a plate or board. which is notchedin its rear edge at a medial point to clear the drive wheel 2. The sidepieces comprising the body 4 are extended, as indicated at 22, toreceive the axle 20 and are notched to receive the rear edge of thewings 8 and thereby insure a substantial connection.

Having thus described the invention, 1 claim:

1. A toy comprising an elongated body, centrally disposed wheels, afront wheel and a rear wheel, the rear wheel being supported in a framehaving a pivotally mounted stem adapted to receive a limited verticalmovement, a front post, pulleys secured to the stems of the post andrear wheel frame, and a flexible connection between the pulleys of theposts and rear wheel frame to admit of a turning of the latter forsteering.

2. A toy comprising an elongated body, supporting wheels intermediatethe ends of the body, a front wheel eccentrically mounted andconstituting the driver, a rear steering wheel yiel'dably mounted, afront post, grooved pulleys applied to the stems of said posts andtherear wheel frame and an endless flexible element connecting thegrooved pulleys whereby to transmit movement from the post to the rearwheel for steering.

3. A toy comprising an elongated body, supporting wheels intermediatethe ends of the body, a front wheel eccentrically mounted andconstituting the driver, a rear steering wheel, a front post,'and aconnection between the front post and the steering wheel whereby totransmit motion from the front post to the rear wheel for steering.

In testimony whereof I'aifix my signature.

JOHN .ELBRIDGE HARNER. [L.s.]

